Starter for automobiles and the like.



J. O. BOYLE. STARTER FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.11, 1911.

1,909,276. Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

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J. G. BOYLE.

STARTER FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE. APPLIGATIQN FILED FEB.11, 1911.

1,009,276 Pat e uted NOV.21,1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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1 STARTER FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NO 21, 19111,

Application filed February 11, 1911. Serial No. 608,046.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. BOYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Calgary, in the Province of Alberta, Canada, have invented a new and useful Starter for Automobiles and the Like; and I do hereby declare the'following to be a full, clear, and

' exact'description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. a

This invention relates to anew and useful starting mechanism for explosive engines of automobiles, motor boats and the like.

The ,;invention in its broadest scope aims as its principal object to embody a clutch mechanism (which also constitutes a safety device for the main engine shaft, in combination with an. actuating mechanism (which includes a small supplemental air cooled gasolenemotor) for throwing the clutch mechanism into 'action, whereby the main engine 'shaftjmay be started. This obviates the necessityfof. cranking the main engine shaft bylhand. 'The supplemental gasolene motor iscoupled with a shaft, to which motion is imparted thereby, for shifting a horizontally movable sleeve, which carries a member for'throwing a loosely mounted gear into operation'lby engagement therewith.

This loosely mounted gear aetuates the clutch mechanism of the main engine shaft.

The object of providing a small supplemental gasolene engine is to obviate the necessity of the operator getting out of theautomobile in order to crank the main engine shaft, it being observed in Figure 1 of the drawings that the supplemental engine is arranged adjacent the dash of the automobile.

In. the drawings, however, there is only disclosed one form of the invention, but in practical fields this form may require alterations, to which the applicant is entitled, provided the alterations are comprehended by the claims herewith appended.

The invention comprises further features and combinationsof parts hereinafter set Y forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

-11! the drawings Fig. 1 is a'view partly in section and partly in elevation of a portionfof an automobile, showing the improved starting mechanism as applied'ther eto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

I illustrating more clearly the combination clutch and safety mechanism, for the main engine shaft. Fig. 3 a sectional view on' the same by hand desired. The end line of Fig. 2.- Fig. 1 is a sectional view on line H of Fig. 1, showing the pins-38 as projecting through the slots 37 of the sleeve 36.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of an automobile while 2 denotes the main explosive engine, the same being shown in dotted lines in outline. It is to be under stood that this main explosive engine may be of any conventional design and construction. The engine 2 is provided with the drive shaft 3, which may be started by cranking with the crank 4, if it is so 5 of this shaft is provided with a pulley 6, about which the belt 7 travels; The belt 7 also travels'over the pulley 8 which rotates with the shaft 9. This shaft 9 may be coupled with the axle of the drive wheel byany suitable means (not shown inorderto transmit power to the drive w eel. On the shaft 3 is a clutch mechanism (which also acts'as a safety device), which is designated as a whole by the character 10. v

. The dash of the automobile carries a conventional form of an air cooled asolene motor 11, by the small. crank 12 of which, the clutch mechanism 10 may be thrown in action, through the medium of the connections between the clutch mechanism and the motor 11. The motor 11 is provided with a suction pipe connection 13 between it and the carbureter 2 of the automobile, for the purpose of obtaining fuel. The clutch mechanism 10 comprises a spur gear- 14, which is loosely mounted upon the shaft 3. Integral with the gear 14: is a casing 15. This casing is provided with a plurality of radially I 17 threaded thereon. )The walls of the boxingslG- are rectangular, and mounted within the boxing-are radially slidable spring tensioned cross heads 18. The springs 19 are arranged between the cross heads and the caps 1?. Connecting the cross heads 18 and the clutch members 20 (which are supplied with fiber friction clutch shoes 21-) are the links 22. Arranged between the "links and portions. of the cross heads are springs 23,which are designed for the purpose of holding th'e'clutch members 20 adjacent the clutch disk 24, which is keyed to rotate with'the shaft 3, as shown at 25. If

there is any tendency of the clutch members,

feeding backwardly the portions 26 of the casing 15 will act a's stops forthe clutch projecting boxings 16 having caps members. However, after motion has been imparted to the clutch disk 24 and the shaft 3 sufficiently to start the engine (not shown), the clutch members will automatically release from engagement with the clutch disk 24.

Projecting downwardly from a stationary part 27 of the automobile are two bracket bearings 28, in which is journaled a shaft 29 the end portion 30 of which is coupled to the shaft 31 of the supplemental motor 11, by means of the flexible connections 32 and the'shaft Keyed to the shaft 29 upon each end of one of the bracket bearings 28 are collars 34 and35, which prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft. Arranged slidably on the shaft 29 is a sleeve 36, through elongated slots 37 of which pins 38 project. Thepins38 project from the shaft 29 and constitute means whereby the sleeve 36 is rotated with the shaft. The collar 34 is provided with laterally projecting ears 39, between which the rods .40 are pivoted.

The extremitiesof the .rods 40 are wardly by the centrifugal .force shift the sleeve 36 in the direction of the arrow? 42, against the action of the spring 43, by virtue of the link connections 44 between the sleeve 36 and the rods 40. The sleeve 36 'ifs not only slidable on the shaft 29, but is slidable through a stationary sleeve bearing 45 of the bracket 46, which is secured to the stationary part 27 of the automobile. Loosely mounted on a reduced part 47 of the sleeve bearing 45 is a pinion 48. To prevent outward displacement of the pinion 48 a collar 49 is threaded to the reduced part of the sleeve bearing 45. The collar 49 is prevented from unscrewing, by means of the set screws 50, which are threaded through the collar 49 to engage the threads of the reduced part 47. The pinion 48 is provided with a plurality of depressions 51, which are designed for the purpose of receiving the lugs 52of the annular disk 53,

that is, when the sleeve 36 is shifted, because the disk 53 is mounted upon the sleeve 36 and keyed thereto by the feather 54. A nut 55 is threaded to the end of the sleeve 36, for the purpose of preventing the disk 53 from being pulled off the sleeve 36.v

WVhen it is desired to start the main driving engine of the automobile, the supplemental gasolene motor is started by imparting a cranking motion to the crank 12, with but little exertion on the part of the operator, without getting out of-the car. After the motor 11 is started, it will be observed that motion is imparted to the shaft 29, which in turn rotates the sleeve 36, by virtue of the pins 38 and slots 37. By this motor 11 the shaft 29 is rotated exceedingly rapid, and by the outward movements of the pro vided with balls 41, which when thrown outwhich causes the lugs 52 to enter the depressions 51 of the pinion 48, thus causing the pinion 48 to rotate with the sleeve 36 and the disk 53, which is keyed to the sleeve 36 r as at 54. The pinion 48 meshes with the spur gear 14, and causes the same to revolve. It will be observed that, as the gear 14 revolves the casing 15 also revolves, and when such is the case the fiber friction clutch shoes 21 are thrown frictionally in contact with the clutch disk 24. The clutch disk 24 beingkeyed at 25 a) the shaft3, causes motion to be imparted to the main engine shaft 3, thus starting the engine 2 which transmits power, by virtue of the pulleys 6 and 8, the belt 7 andshaft 9 to the driving wheels (not shown)" of the automobile. However, in case of back-firing (which will impart a reverse impulse to the shaft 3), the clutch disk will frictionally contact with the fiber friction clutch shoe, thus causing the cross heads 18 to move radially and outwardly through the boxings 16 against the action of the springs 19, so as to retard a continuous reverse movement to the shaft 3, thus constituting a novel, form, of safety device, which considerably guards against From the foregoing, it is evident that a novel form of starting mechanism for explosive engines of automobiles, motor boats and the like has beenfdevised, and one which is found to be practicable and feasible in every phase. y

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. In a motor vehicle a driving 'motor and a shaft therefor, a clutch mechanism on the shaft, a shiftable revoluble member, a stationary member, a gear loosely mounted thereon and in engagement with the clutch mechanism, and means including outwardly flying balls and rods for shifting and revolving the revoluble member for throw-. ing the gear into action, thus operating the clutch mechanism.

2. In a motor vehicle, a driving motor, a shaft therefor, an annular member keyed thereto, a spur gear loosely journaled-thereon and provided with a casing having radially outwardly projecting boxings, spring tensioned cross heads slidable in the boxings, clutch members in the casing adapted to frictionally engage the annular member and provided with link connections with the cross heads, and means for rotatingthe spur gear. 3. In a motor vehicle, a driving motor having a driving shaft provided with a clutch mechanism, a supplemental motor erable by the supplemental motor for throw:

ing the clutchmechanism into action.

4. In a motor vehicle, a main driving motor having a driving shaft provided with a combined clutch mechanism and safety device, a supplemental motor having suction pipe connections with the carbureter of the first-motor, plemental motor for throwing the clutch mechanism into action. I

5. In a motor vehicle, a main driving motorhaving a drive shaft, a clutch mechanism thereon, a small supplemental gasolene motor having a suction pipe connec tion with the for receiving fuel therefrom, a revoluble shaft mounted bearings attached to the main driving motor and provided with a flexible shaft connection with a supplemental motor, a stationary member, a pinion rotatable thereon for actuating the and rotatable with and means operable by the supf carbureter of the first motor and means shiftable on the revoluble shaft for imparting motion to the pinion.

6. In a motor vehicle, a main driving moclutch mechanism,

tor having a driving shaft provided witha combined clutch mechanism and safety device, a small supplemental motor having a of: the first motor for obtaining fuel thererom, a revoluble shaft mounted in bearings attached to and provided with a flexible shaft connection with the supplemental motor, and means actuated by the revoluble shaft and carried thereby for throwing the clutch mechanism into action. In testimony whereof I have signed my name vto this specification in the presence of twoisubscribing witnesses. I JAMES CAMPBELL BOYLE. Witnesses:

HOWARD BARKER, WM. F. Bonny.

the main driving motor suction pipe connection with the carbureter 

